Here's a rundown of the most-read stories on NCRonline.org for the month of January. The list is compiled with the help of Google Analytics. Miss any of these stories? Now's the time to get caught up.

5. "New cardinals to be appointed may include next pope" by Thomas Reese, posted Jan. 6. In this analysis, Reese explored what Pope Francis might be looking for in new cardinals. Less than a week later, Francis announced his picks for the red hats. (See No. 3.)